P R E S S   R E L E A S E
from
F L O R I D I A N S   FOR   A L T E R N A T I V E S
                                   TO THE DEATH PENALTY   (FADP)

25 May 2004

CONTACT:  Abe Bonowitz: 561-371-5204

**************

"SUICIDE BY GOVERNOR" PUTS PRISON WORKERS AT RISK
and - see below for "25 Years of Blood on All Our Hands."


Statement by Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty director Abe
Bonowitz

Responding to statements made on May 24th by condemned prisoner John
Blackwelder, Governor Jeb Bush betrayed the fact that he just isn't paying
attention.  According to the Associated Press, Bush said, ""People have to
remember what actually happened here.  This was a man who was on death row
because he murdered somebody."

Once again, Governor Bush has betrayed the fact that his staff is not providing
him with all of the details of the case, or he is choosing to ignore the most
important details.  Blackwelder was serving a sentence of Life Without Parole,
and he did not like his life in prison.  He was too cowardly to kill himself,
but he knew one person who would help him die under the right circumstances:
Governor Jeb Bush.  Blackwelder murdered his cell mate, Raymond Wigley,
precisely because he knew he could be sentenced to death, waive his appeals, and
effectively obtain a Governor Assisted Suicide.

If the death penalty did not exist in Florida, and if Governor Jeb Kevorkian was
not so willing to play into the hands of death row prisoners who wish to
manipulate the system by waiving their appeals, Raymond Wigley would still be
alive and John Blackwelder would still be anonymously locked away.

The execution of John Blackwelder sets a dangerous precedent that
puts all Florida prison workers at greater risk.  The message being sent by
Governor Bush to approximately 10,000 Florida prisoners serving Life Without
Parole is:  "If you don't like your life in prison, just kill a prisoner or a
prison worker, and we will be happy to expedite your case and assist your
suicide."  Instead of a deterrent, the death penalty has become an encouragement
to murder.

Perhaps the Bush administration sees the encouragement of prisoners to kill
other prisoners as a "two for one" type of deal, but that tune will change as
soon as a lifer kills a prison worker in a bid for a Governor Assisted Suicide.
Governor Bush is irresponsible when he signs death warrants for those waive
their appeals, and with the Assisted Suicide of John Blackwelder, Governor Bush
is putting Florida prisoners and Florida prison workers at much greater risk.

************

Further details are at http://www.fadp.org/pressrel.html and
http://www.fadp.org/killfordeath.html

*******


TUESDAY'S PROGRAM OUTSIDE FLORIDA STATE PRISON - "25 Years of Blood on All Our
Hands."

(Local protest information for Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Pensacola,
Tallahassee, Tampa Bay, and West Palm Beach may be found at
http://www.fadp.org/localprotests.html )

In a highly visual presentation featuring leaders of numerous Florida groups
opposed to the death penalty, protesters will remember the 58 prisoners executed
over the past 25 years, as well as the victims in whose names the prisoners were
killed.  The program is scheduled to begin at 5pm, leading up to the 6pm
scheduled execution.

"59 executions in 25 years, at a cost of more than $1 billion," said Bonowitz.
"The death penalty is just another wasteful and flawed government program.  No
amount of killing can bring back our loved ones, or equal their value.  Given a
choice, most Floridians would rather see the millions of dollars we spend each
year on the death penalty put into services for victims families, and prevention
and education programs.  We must remember the victims, but not with more
killing.  25 years in enough.  We can and must do better."

********

FADP Director Abe Bonowitz is available for interviews at 561-371-5204

ON THE WEB:  www.FADP.org

****

SENT BY:

Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director

          Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP)

          800-973-6548    http://www.fadp.org 
          PMB 335, 2603 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy, Gainesville, FL 32609

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty works for restorative
justice in the form of effective alternatives to the death penalty.  It
does so by
    # supporting and coordinating the work of organizations and individuals
    # educating and energizing the general public and state legislators
    # supporting the many persons affected by capital crime and punishment
    # advocating specific legislative improvements